Can anybody out there tell me the Horse Power rating for a 1983 280zx , non-turbo, with the statndard L28 engine ??

 

let me point ya in the right direction here:

http://www.geocities.com/~z-car/specs/

 

arrr.. that website is so wrong!

SAE is not the horsepower rating on all those cars!

Your 1983 has 8.8:1 compression and about 145 wheel or 175 crank horsepower.

 

Thanks for the infor guys.........

 

I got the screensaver off that site just now. Pretty awesome!!

 

Looking at this site, it shows that the 280Z actually weighed more than the 280ZX? Also one thing that I'm wondering, even though that most S30's are pretty much the same bodystyle, why are they still all S30? The body style does slightly differ from year to year. Or is it essentially jsut changed bumpers and stuff? Would you essentially be able to take a 280Z and put the parts of a 240Z and get a 240Z body, or would their still be differences that seperate them. 240Z's go for way more than 280Z's, so I'm thinking if you could essentially take a 280Z strip it and turn it into the 240Z, that'd be a cheaper way. Would the 240Z still be lighter if this can be done?

 

The chassis remained unchanged throughout the S30 run. And that's why it didn't change until the S130. The 280zx has a completely different chassis and body. If you took a 280z and stipped it down and replaced it with everything needed to make a 240z then yes, you'd have a car identicle to the 240z. If you stripped the 240z and 280z down to their bare chassis then you would have the same car. Cetain things just got beefier for safety reasons as the years progressed. I don't know if it's be cheaper though. A 240Z can be had for relatively little money in running condition. I can't vouch for Ohio though. The main exterior visual differences from year to year were things like the bumpers, emblems and their placement, moving certain things around like turn signals. Little stuff like that.

 

Hmm I see what you're saying. My plan is to eventually pick up a 240Z one day. Is it just me or does no one really care about the 260?

As for my thoughts on it being cheaper. The main idea was, it would probably be easier to come by a 280Z and be able to convert it, plus you'd have the L28 engine, or it may end up evening out because then you wouldn't have to obtain an L28 or have to worry about swapping it in. I just hope to eventually pick up a RHD S30 and possibly a 280ZX Turbo. Man I've gone Z-Crazy.

While I'm at it. I was curious. How do you guys feel about purchasing cars from Ebay?

 

so the site is wrong? I have a 80 ZX non-turbo with a L28 so whats my hp at the wheels and base?

 

At the wheels is probably around 120 hp. BHP is rated at 145 at the crank with all accessories attached and probably SAE 175 at the crank with no accessories installed.

 

Everything that I've ever read regarding the '81-'83 Naturally Aspirated 280ZX has stated 145 bhp at the flywheel and appx. 135 bhp at the rear wheels. However, that was on a new off the showroom floor 280ZX. Who knows what kind of horsepower your 22 year old engine of unknown to us condition is making.